this challenge offer? Could there be apositive side to this that we’re failingto see?n What parts of these limitationsshould I actively resist or try toremove? What parts should I acceptand work around?n What part of this can I tweak orchange slightly?n Is there some kind of material orresource within this system that I canuse differently?n What parameters I can workwithin?

Often, students will go through
these questions in the initial phase of a
design-thinking project as they define
the problem and shift to inquiry.
However, they also work through
these questions when they ideate,
create, and revise.

Developing Divergent Thinking

Divergent thinking is a spontaneous,
free-flowing, nonlinear thinking
process. When you’re thinking divergently, you’re looking at things from
new angles. You’re finding new uses
for common ideas and objects. You’re
rewriting the rules and questioning
everything. Oddly enough, this type
of open, free-flowing mental process
is often activated by an external
limitation.

Creative constraint is a disruptive
force that pushes people to think
divergently by finding work-arounds,
using things in new ways, and connecting seemingly unrelated ideas.
The architects of Camden Yards had to
think divergently to design a ballpark
that would fit within the site’s constraints. Similarly, my students had
to think divergently about both what
graffiti meant to the tagger and various
ways a wall could be protected from
vandalism.

So how can educators use creative
constraint strategically to encourage
students to think divergently?

Limit Materials

Although a 3–D printer might be the
most powerful tool for prototyping,
some of the best maker projects
require students to use everyday
items like duct tape, marbles, rubber
bands, and paper clips. Here, students are forced to think divergently
about everyday items as they design
something new.

I recently worked with a group of
teachers who were frustrated that
their maker space didn’t have the
best new gadgets. I gave them a challenge: Create a game that would be so
compelling to play that people would
choose it over their digital gaming
devices. They could only use the items
at their tables. The caveat was that
they didn’t have any items at their
tables: They had to use items from
their backpacks, bags, and purses.

An hour later, we had highly
engaging games that involved rubber
bands, dental floss, and Altoid containers. Participants found unconventional ways to use their items.

Limit Options

The idea behind limiting options is to
put tight parameters on certain tasks
and encourage students to find specific work-arounds that incorporate
divergent thinking. This might involve
limiting the quantity of the work.

Teachers might require students to
create a six-word story or 25-second
video. They might have to design a
bridge with fewer items or solve a
math problem in fewer steps. Within
these constraints, students have to
be more intentional about what they
are creating. They often develop
alternative methods and strategies.

Teachers might also create specific
rules for an assignment, such as asking
learners to solve a math problem
without using paper or pencil. This
mental math process allows them to
find new strategies. Students might
have to give a visual definition of a